Up to 10 Oreshnik systems could be deployed in Belarus, Lukashenko says

Anastasia Protz - 22 December, 16:15

Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Getty Images

The self-proclaimed president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has said that Belarus could receive "no more than ten" Oreshnik missile systems from Russia.

Source: BelTA, a Belarusian state-owned news outlet, citing Lukashenko

Details: On 22 December, after an informal meeting of leaders of Commonwealth of Independent States member states, a journalist asked Lukashenko whether Belarus had indeed received ten Oreshnik systems, as he had reportedly discussed with the Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin earlier.

"No more than ten," Lukashenko replied.

BelTA reported that a year ago, when asked about plans to procure Oreshniks, Lukashenko said: "I think ten for now, and then we'll see". Later, in January this year, he said he had been "joking" about "ten systems" and that "one Oreshnik system is enough to secure Belarus".

Background:

Self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko said on 18 December that the Russian Oreshnik missile system had already been delivered to Belarus.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin claimed on 17 December that the Oreshnik ballistic missile system will be put on combat duty by the end of 2025.
Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU), announced on 31 October that one of Russia's three Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missiles had been destroyed on the night of 8-9 July 2024 by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the SSU and the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) at Kapustin Yar, a military training area and rocket launch complex in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast.
Ukraine's Air Force reported that the Russians had used the Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time in an attack on Dnipro on the morning of 21 November. This missile is a potential carrier of nuclear warheads.
Putin confirmed that the Russians had used an Oreshnik medium-range missile during the morning attack on Dnipro on 21 November.
The United States officially confirmed that Russia had struck Dnipro on the morning of 21 November with a ballistic missile derived from an RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
On 21 November, Russian troops attacked Ukraine using a ballistic missile, likely from the Kedr missile system, as reported by Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.
On 28 November, Putin said that he might use the new Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile against "decision-making centres in Kyiv".
Alexander Lukashenko said in December 2024 that there are at least 30 different sites in Belasus where the Russian Oreshnik missile system can be deployed; the site located the closest to the possible targets of these missiles is currently being chosen.
Before that, Lukashenko had asked Vladimir Putin to deploy the Russian Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile system on the territory of Belarus.

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